Breathe
by angelofjoy
Summary: Takes place after Senseless Acts: When a breathless Diva has House confused he decides to find entertainment elsewhere.
1. Verdi and Virtuosos

**A/N I don't own any of the House characters they belong to Fox. **

**Yes, there are some OC characters.**

**This story is number 4 in a set. I haven't written a House story in a while and I was really missing it. So if you haven't read E is for Erythrocites, Team Wilson, or Senceless Acts you may want to look at them at some point. Victoria Cicciliano is my OC character whom I wrote in to take the place of Thirteen before Martha showed up and I like her so I am keeping her and ditching Thirteen. Sorry to all those Thirteen fans out there. **

**So anyway, I hope you enjoy the story. Please review, I love to hear from people, and thanks for reading! **

Chapter 1: Verdi and Virtuosos.

Spring was a beautiful time on the campus ofPrincetonUniversity. The regular classes were drawing to a close, the performances and art exhibits were opening to show off the talents of the undergraduate and graduate students, and the mildness of the weather began to invite the sleepy world to wake up and welcome in the change of season. It was also a bad time for the common cold, allergies and social obligations, but love was in the air.

The buzz of the audience was deafening as Robert andVictoriamoved through the crowd. They had been the last to come up with excuses before being volunteered to attend a celebratory gala, for a new faculty member. Robert was looking forward to the booze and the possibility of an easy lay, so he hadn't protested too convincingly andVictoriawas pleased that she might at least get to experience some culture outside of the hospital, because her resent employment had left very little time for socialization. House kept his team at his beck and call, and the leash was very short if you disobeyed, soVictoriahad smiled at the idea of a night away from medicine in the company of hundreds of people that may or may not be interested in brightening up her life. She also didn't mind that she was being escorted to the party by the hottest member of the team, who's glorious Australian accent was enough to make any woman take a second look, and although she didn't think she would leave with him, at least she wasn't stuck doing rounds or the 'punishment' labs that Taub and Forman had been given to ruin their evenings.

Men and women chit chatted all around them as they made their ways toward their assigned seats. The auditorium had filled quickly with dignitaries, the dean of the university was there and so were all of the cabinet. Robert and Victoria were even interested to see that the governor ofNew Jerseywas in attendance as well. It was a well published performance, even House had seemed interested in attending, but then again with his musical interest it wasn't surprising that an opera had caught his attention, although it would have certainly been overlooked had the Stones been performing anywhere within the continental United States. Really, for House, it wasn't a matter of the concert subject being the problem, as it was a scandalous opera; it was the being out in public that got his back up.

The orchestra had already started to tune when James joined them.

"So, you've been wrangled by House into attending in his place?"Wilsonasked as he sat down.

"He said he'd be here,"Victoriasmiled. "I, on the other hand am quite interested in tonight's performance."

"You haven't seen an opera until you've seen it inSydney," Robert Chase stated as he looked at the program.

"I would beg to differ," Victoria Cicciliano stated shaking her head, her rich Italian accent filling the space between the murmurs of the growing crowd, "Operas in their motherlandofVeniceandRomeare unlike anything you can imagine."

"I didn't suspect either of you as being the musical types," James Wilson stated eyeing both of young doctors, before he looked around to see who else was in attendance.

"My father believed in constant culture and the educational values of musical experience," Chase stated. "We were at the opera house biweekly, he had season tickets. I enjoyed it for the ballerinas."

"You mean you 'enjoyed' your fair share of Ballerinas."Victoriascoffed.

"I 'enjoyed' all kinds of performers when I was young, ballerinas, chorus girls, you name it, but I did clean up my act. I was educated by the church." Chase stated mockingly. "And don't try and tell me that you haven't 'enjoyed' a good tenor now and again."

"I will admit to sneaking out to the opera while I lived inRome, they weren't all accepted byVaticanstandards, but they were a highlight of my upbringing as well. My mother was a coloratura, she sang constantly."Victoriasmiled. "It broke my father's heart when he realized I was tone deaf, but piano came fairly naturally and I made up for it my lack of vocal ability, however, when I graduated medical school."

"And the tenors…?" Chase asked with a wink.

"There were a few!"Victoriagiggled.

"So your protests were for not?" James laughed.

"It's also a free party after with an open bar!" Chase smiled. "Maybe I'll 'enjoy' a ballerina for old time sake."

"You're horrible."Victoriastated as she elbowed him.

"I'm not opposed to inner office affairs if you are offering," Chase smiled.

"Scandalous monsieur, again I say, you are horrible,"Victoriastated flirtingly.

Chase raised an eyebrow to his colleague but could not go further into his pursuits when the warning bell chimed and the house lights flashed.

Just as the lights were dimming in the opera house, Greg and Lisa took their seats with their colleagues. They had been late, but no one was willing to ask them why. Cuddy and House seemed like they would forever be honeymooning, although they were not married, but after the events that nearly caused them to loose the precious little life known as Rachel Cuddy, they had embraced every moment and even House was happier because of it. His work habits had not changed, his banter was still as sharp and as cutting as it had ever been, but House had softened a lot since he had become the father figure to the sweet little girl. She was always around, she was brilliantly smart for her age, and she had captured House's heart.

The orchestra struck the beginnings of the Verdi Opera and revealed the reason the five Doctors had come to the performance.

The young woman, singing the role of the lead soprano, was a rising star in the world of opera, having sung in all of the major opera houses globally. She had just accepted a teaching position with the prestigious music school, which was associated with thePrincetoncampus. Her voice rang out, her Italian was flawless for a woman born in the Untied States, and her stage presence captivated even the notorious Doctor Gregory House. She had been hired to revamp the Opera program and as such, she was the first to perform in the band new, state of the art, opera theatre that was constructed as a new addition to the music school.

As the Orchestra died away, and the first intermission cause the buzz around them to begin again, Lisa Cuddy probed her employees for their understanding of the operas and their enjoyment of the evening. Civilized conversation wasn't often held between the working colleagues but the cultural aspects, and the expertise of the two younger doctors, proved to pass the time enjoyably, even House was engaged in musical rhetoric while they waited for the second half of the opera to begin.

As the beautiful soprano took the stage again, to sing the most well know aria of the work, and the orchestra caressed at her every breath and line, something peaked Gregory's attention. He sat up straighter, moved forward and strained to see and then it happened. A gasped, a stumble and the young soprano collapsed before their eyes. The four other doctors stood, instinctually, and moved toward the stage as Greg House remained in his seat.

"Looks like you're not getting laid tonight, Chase." House said to him self as the house light came on, the curtains closed and the paramedics rushed toward the stage to retrieve the fallen diva.


	2. Riddle Me This

**A/N: Yes, I am finally picking up this story and I have a big, well somewhat big, update for you. Enjoy chapters 2 through 9 and hopefully I'll be back with an update before another year passes this story by.**

**If you haven't read the three other stories in this set, I suggest you look at them, although they are not necessary to follow the plot of this story. They start with E is for Erythrocytes, then Team Wilson and third is Senseless Acts.**

**As always, I don't own anything.**

**Enjoy!**

Chapter 2: Riddle Me This.

The hospital was quiet as House sat alone, in the darkness of his office. The evening was wearing on in a very different fashion than he had initially anticipated. Chase and Cicciliano had rode in the ambulance back to the hospital with the fallen diva, working with the paramedics to keep her alive, while Cuddy, Wilson and House made there way through the crowds of people at the opera house toward the familiar domain that they called their own. Cuddy was thrown into damage control mode, Wilson was ready to assist Chase and Victoria any way he could and House sulked off, practically unobserved, to his office to mull over the puzzle that had presented itself. He had seen it, the one little twitch, even from where he had sat, it was visible. The Diva had falter, her face changed colour even with all of her make up, and her trachea deviated. He saw it from a mile away. The questions remain however, why would a singer with assumedly healthy lungs suddenly fall into failure? It was a puzzle alright, and House had been witness to the very first symptom.

Chase and Cicciliano walked into the shared office space and fell into their seats across from each other at the conference table. They had been working on the young diva from the moment they had reached her on the stage. She didn't regain consciousness until she was in the PPTH emergency department and even then she went into failure a second time. Her heart beat was irregular and her lungs weakened to the point that she needed assistance. Everything happened so quickly, but Chase and Cicciliano were unable to find any clear diagnosis or reason for the sudden onset of symptoms, and she wasn't responding to the usual courses of treatment.

"Well, Mussolini, what has happened to our diva, is she dead or alive?" House asked as he hobbled into the room adjacent to his office and sat down at the head of the table.

"She alive…"

"But barely," Chase interrupted.

"Well did you cut her open, have a good look inside, fondle her youthful breasts?" House asked jokingly as he eyed Chase with suspicion.

"I was a little preoccupied with getting her to breathe and to regulate her heart beat," Chase said with a sigh, "sorry to disappoint. I'll make sure to cup a feel next time I'm in her presence."

"How does a woman with extensive training in breathing and vocal health fall into failure without even noticing a symptom?" Cicciliano asked as she looked at the two men before her.

"Who says she didn't notice any symptoms?" House asked. "The show must go on you know. Did you get a history?"

"No, she's barely alive," Chase stated. "She's on a respirator to keep her lungs inflating!"

"She's also sedated to allow for her heart to be regulated as well," Cicciliano added.

"What about her medical files? Tell me you have got that!" House stated.

"Cuddy's working on it," Chase said.

"Was she coherent at all during transport?"

"No," Victoria answered.

"Did you manage to get her stabilized before transport?"

"No," Chase answered.

"Did you draw blood?"

"Standard procedure," They answered together.

"Just checking to see if you were awake," House stated.

Chase leaned back in his chair and sighed, loosening his tie and rolling his eyes.

"Was it an allergic reaction to something?" House asked.

"Nothing indicated it was," Cicciliano answered, "we gave her epinephrine but it didn't do anything. It just stressed her heart even more," she sighed and rubbed her eyes.

"Then what the hell is wrong with her? She made it through the first act without a problem so it must have been something she did during intermission." House stated.

"We won't know until we can talk to her," Chase said.

"That is if she makes it through the night." Cicciliano added.

"Well you two are useless," House stated as he stood and walked out of the office.

"Where is he going?" Victoria asked looking across the table at Chase.

"I really don't care," he answered as he put his head down on his arms and sighed, "I just want to sleep now."

"I so wished that tonight wouldn't be another one of these nights!" Victoria sighed as she pulled the heavy earrings out of her lobes and placed them on the table before rubbing her temples.

"We should have known better." Chase said looking up at her.

"Are you saying that House had to have had a medical interest in this woman before he even saw her tonight?" Victoria asked.

"The man's a lunatic. I wouldn't put it past him." Chase said as he stood.

"Where are you going?"

"Come on lets sneak out while his back is turned. Forman and Taub can be berated with his questions and insults until morning." Chase said.

"Good plan," Victoria stated as she jumped up, scooped her earrings off the table and followed Chase out of the office.


	3. Cuddy's Conundrum

Chapter 3: Cuddy's Conundrum

House stood in the middle of the hallway staring through the glass of the ICU room at the diva who had only hours before been filling the world with glorious song. She had looked larger than life on the stage and now she laid still, hooked up to machines that were breathing for her and nurses came and went from her room without paying much attention to the sullen doctor that watched from the shadows as he was used to doing.

"Why are you still here?" Cuddy asked, startling House out of his thoughts.

"I'm a doctor, this is a hospital, it's kinda where I belong," House stated.

"No I mean why you are here, in the middle of the hallway when there is nothing you can do for that woman," Cuddy stated.

"I was one of the first responders," House stated.

"No you weren't," Cuddy practically laughed, "you sat in your seat and watched while Chase, Cicciliano and Wilson did all the word and I was trying to calm the Dean of the music school down enough to get access to his files and the young woman's records.

"I noticed her first symptom," House said, "therefore I was the first to respond to her illness."

"House, honestly, she's probably not going to make it through the night, if she does, then you can stalk her and poke and prod at her, but for now, please go home, get some rest." Cuddy said and practically dragged him away from the fallen diva's room.

"There were cameras filming parts of her performance tonight, were there not?" House asked as he took another fleeting glance over his shoulder toward the room.

"Yes there were," Cuddy answered, "but why is that relevant?"

"I saw the deviated septum from my seat; I was wondering which other symptoms the cameras picked up. You'd be the greatest girlfriend ever if you got me that performance on DVD," He smiled playfully.

"What good are they if she's dead by morning?" Cuddy asked.

"I need to figure out what is wrong. I need the symptoms to tell me what is making her sick and therefore I need the videos to watch. I need to solve the puzzle." House stated. "If she lives or if she dies is irrelevant if I don't know what is going on. Let me do my job. Get me those tapes."

"Fine, I'll see what I can do," Cuddy sighed, "but on one condition."

"I don't do well with demands," House stated.

"I just want you to go home, because I can't and I need you to pay the babysitter." Cuddy stated and placed a wad of cash in House's hands.

"How much are you paying the girl," House asked looking at the money mysteriously, "how much does child care cost these days."

"Oh House, please, she wasn't supposed to be there all night, I'm paying her extra because of the emergency, please, before I have to sign over my house to her, just go and pay her and make sure Rachel is alright." Cuddy stated as her pager began to buzz again.

"And you'll get me the tapes?" he asked with a sly smile.

"I'll get you the tapes," Cuddy promised, "and an autograph if she wakes up."

"Alright, I'll go," House smiled, passed Cuddy and hobbled off toward the elevator.


	4. Hide and Sanctuary

Chapter 4: Hide and Sanctuary

Chase led the way through the hospital, Victoria following quickly and quietly as they passed the residence rooms and the lockers and headed toward the lobby.

"Where are you taking me?" Victoria asked, "The residence rooms are that way."

"And that's the first place House will look. You really want to get some sleep and still be within the hospital to take any calls that we may get?" Chase asked as he pushed open the door to the chapel and ducked in.

"I'm not sleeping in the chapel," Victoria stated as Chase pulled off his lab coat, rolled it up and laid down in one of the pews.

"Why not," he asked. "It's dark, it's quiet and no one ever comes up here. It's the perfect hide out."

"It's disrespectful," Victoria stated. "I'm going home; it's only about a block away and it's not going to be offensive if someone happens to walk in here wanting to use the space for its actual purpose. You're not a homeless man off the street, you're a bloody doctor. Have some self respect."

"Don't let House here you talking like that, you'll never hear the end of it," Chase laughed.

"I don't hear the end of it as it is, what's one more little thing?" Victoria sighed, "come on Robert, you can crash at my place."

"You'll let me crash at your place, but you won't sleep in the chapel like hundreds of other pilgrims seeking refuge and sanctuary do world wide? You seem to have your moral code somewhat skewed." Chase laughed.

"I said you could crash at my place, I didn't say I was going to sleep with you," Victoria stated, "and you're not seeking refuge or sanctuary, you just want to hide from House," She added, "besides, he knows you well enough to figure this out, but he has yet to find my apartment so your odds are better with me."

"Yeah, you're right," Chase stated and sat up again. "Besides your place will probably be more comfortable than these ancient forms of torture are." He added motioning to the solid wood pews.

"That's offensive," Victoria sighed. "Seriously how did you go from the seminary to whatever it is that you are now? What screwed you up so badly?"

"You're really offended?" Chase asked eyeing the disgust in Victoria's face.

"I am, its one thing to call attention to the fact so many people don't feel the need to hold any religious appointments or respect for a place of prayer, but its completely another to do a complete three sixty and turn you back on what you once believed in. I'm surprised. I've seen falling away from the faith, but it's never come with the disrespect that I have seen in you." Victoria sighed.

"You wouldn't understand," Chase said with a shrug.

"I debunk miracles and disprove whole belief systems," Victoria stated, "and yet I have never seen people react as you have, something is seriously wrong in your head."


	5. New Doctor in Charge

Chapter 5: New Doctor in Charge.

Rachel Cuddy dressed in her pale pink scrubs, wearing her lab coat and stethoscope walked confidently at House's side when morning arrived and the hospital called out to them. She walked in the main doors of PPTH and past the nurse's station and right into her mother's office.

"What are you doing here munchkin?" Cuddy asked as her daughter ran around the desk to hug her mother.

"I have a diagnosis to come up with," Rachel stated.

"Do you?" Cuddy asked and eyed House with suspicion.

"I have to watch TV and find what is wrong with the person in the movie," Rachel stated.

"You did get the movie right?" House asked.

"You want Rachel to help you?" Cuddy asked.

"It's going to save you on childcare today," House smiled. "Besides it's nothing she hasn't already seen."

"House, she's five!" Cuddy sighed, "it's bad enough that you've taken her to watch open heart surgery, now you want to train her to pick out symptoms?"

"It's a teaching hospital," House shrugged, "she's bright and completely interested. Would you rather she melted her brain on video games and candy all day?"

Cuddy sighed audibly but knew that Rachel loved the time she spent with House.

"Fine, take the tapes," Cuddy sighed, opened her desk drawer, and pointed out what her daughter was allowed to take. "The good news is the diva is still alive, you may be able to save her after all."

"Come, Jelly Bean, we have work to do," House smiled and watched as Rachel's pigtails bobbed as she walked.

"Call my Doctor Cuddy here!" Rachel demanded as she walked out of her mother's office.

"You've created a monster," Cuddy laughed as House shot her an amused look.

"She's a mini me!" House laughed and limped away after the little girl.

"You're enjoying it too much," Cuddy called after them.

"You wanted me to take a proactive role in her upbringing!" House winked and let the door close behind him.


	6. Cuddy One, Forman Zero

Chapter 6: Cuddy One, Forman Zero

Forman and Taub walked into the office to find Rachel and House huddled together at his desk, the little five year old sitting in his lap and staring intently at the flat screen television on his wall. House was captivated by the video as well, as he shot a hand out to silence Taub and Forman before they could interrupt the viewing party.

"She's short of breath," Rachel stated as she watched the video.

"She's moving around and dancing," Forman observed.

"But she's a classically trained opera singer. Her breathing and breath control should be better then most people. Why, when she hasn't sung a major aria, is she already out of breath?" Rachel asked pointing at the screen.

"Yeah Forman," House stated childishly and stuck out his tongue. "Good catch Jelly Bean," House added as he petted the little girl on the head and paused the video.

Taub and Forman watched as House made note of the time of the video and the symptom on a clipboard before he returned his attention to the video.

"You think that by watching the performance from last night, you'll get your diagnosis?" Taub asked.

"No, I think that by watching the video for signs of symptoms, coupled with what you and Forman find at the opera house and at her apartment, I'll be able to diagnose the patient." House explained as Rachel resumed the video.

"We don't even know her name," Forman stated indignantly.

"Her name is Rosalie O'Neill," Rachel stated as House through the opera program at Forman, "read her program notes and get a move on." She ordered and pointed at the door.

"We're taking orders from a five year old now?" Taub asked in disbelief.

"You don't want to take orders, I'll borrow Team Wilson, and you're fired," House stated in a matter of fact tone.

"You'll fire us for not taking orders from a five year old?" Forman asked.

"Do you know who I am?" Rachel asked, anger and disgust in her tone.

"She's the boss's daughter. Do you really want to be defiant?" House asked.

"Come on," Taub sighed and turned toward the door.

"Go!" Rachel and House ordered when Forman didn't follow when Taub had turned.

"Alright," Forman sighed and walked out of the office.

"Nicely done, Jelly Bean," House smiled.

"I'm awesome at this job," Rachel stated proudly and turned her attention back to the TV.


	7. Breakfast Buddies

Chapter 7: Breakfast Buddies

Victoria awoke early to find Chase sprawled on her sitting room couch, his lab coat acting as a blanket where he had fallen the previous evening. The sun had started to peak through the sitting room window but it hadn't reached his face. Victoria moved off into the kitchen, not ready to wake him, and began her morning routine of coffee and emails.

The strong aroma of coffee woke Robert minutes later and he wandered into the breakfast corner where Victoria sat in the sun of the morning with her news paper and her toast.

"Morning," Chase said sheepishly as he grabbed the coffee mug that was left out for him.

"Morning," Victoria responded between sips of her coffee and turning the paper pages. "Help yourself to whatever's in the fridge," she added as her iPhone pinged and she ignored it.

"Is it House?" Chase asked as he sat down beside her at the little bistro set.

"No," she shook her head and almost laughed, "It's Taub and Forman," she added as the phone pinged again and she ignored that as well, "they're pissed and they have no idea where you are because you're not answering your phone and I'm not responding within a satisfactory period of time," she laughed as the phone pinged for a third time. "I'm going to tell them I'm having a glorious bubble bath so I will not be responding at all." she giggled as her fingers flew over the touch screen and then she laid the phone down again. "Actually, that sounds like a good idea." She added seriously considering the bubble bath.

"Do you torment them like this often?" Robert asked slyly.

"Oh sweetie, if I told you that, I'd have to kill you," Victoria teased, "I do it more often then you need to know about," she winked.

"So most of the texts from you are lies?" Chase laughed.

"Everybody lies," Victoria smiled, "but Shh, don't tell anyone!" she added playfully

"Alright Mussolini, I know all about your trickery," Chase winked.

"I have to live up to the reputation House has put into place for me," Victoria stated as she folded up her news paper and opened a book instead.

"So when are we going to waltz back into PPTH and back to our patient?" Chase asked.

"House is reviewing the video from last night, while Taub and Forman are breaking and entering. I've been getting updates on our patient all morning from my spies at the hospital, so I'm not in any rush, are you?" she asked and sipped her coffee. "You can go back whenever you like. I, on the other hand, would rather do sweet jack all here over doing nothing of consequence at the hospital. And I am still contemplating the bubble bath."

"House will come looking for us," Chase sighed.

"He'll look for us but he will avoid the patient at all costs," Victoria laughed sarcastically.

"Well, this one may hold an interest to him. He likes musicians," Chase stated.

"He likes interesting people, I get that, but shouldn't you be interested in every patient, especially if there is a mystery surrounding their medical diagnosis?" she asked.

"you would think, but that's not how House functions," Chase smiled, "he's a mystery I've been trying to diagnose for years and when you think you have him figured out, something new happens and everything changes."

"You're alluding to the relationship between him and Lisa," Victoria stated.

"More so with Rachel," Chase admitted.

"Children change people and so does love," she shrugged, "that doesn't surprise me at all. What does, however, are the length to which House will go to be right. He's really quite noble if you think about it."

"Whatever it is he is, it's not noble," Chase stated argumentatively.

"That is your opinion," Victoria shrugged.

"You don't know House like I do. I've been through the ringer with that man."

"So I've heard," Victoria stated, laying her book aside, "he's broken you, from what I understand."

"He's not the only thing."

"No, you just change your mind all of the time. From the church to medicine, from single to married and back again, and then from moral conduct to player, aside for your departure from the church, I'd say House played a huge role in a lot of your changes, directly or indirectly." Victoria observed as she watched him carefully, "you're quite the mystery yourself."

"And you just need to solve or disprove the mystery?" Chase asked angrily.

"Yes, and I have all my life. That's probably why I got recruited for this job," Victoria stated throwing her hands up to avoid the confrontation.

"You didn't apply for this?" Chase asked.

"Nope," Cicciliano answered, "I was perfectly content with my life in Rome, but the idea of working with House, he is world famous you know, and the raise did help change my mind. Had it not come up, I can guarantee that I would still be working for Vatican breaking down people's hopes and dreams by disproving the miracles that they saw as the most glorious of gifts from God."

"That is really kinda messed up and morbid of you," Chase stated, "it sounds like you enjoyed it."

"I did, I loved the science and the complexity of so many things. I loved seeing the extent to which doctors would go to, and in that, I saw the miracles that people didn't understand. The lengths that the human body will go to and determination to fix things is miraculous, but people want it to be unexplainable and sometimes, and I've seen and believed, it does happen. I believe whole heartedly in God, as most people of faith do, because I have been to that edge and seen what cannot be explained by modern medicine and science." Victoria explained. "You would be shocked and very much surprised at the things that people will do. Don't get me wrong. The job, as most do, had its downfalls. I am happy to not be the bad guy anymore."

"That's where House thrives," Chase joked.

"What I want to know is where you became so jaded. I mean I know divorce can do that, I've been there, but you're more then damaged."

"It's a long and convoluted story," Chase sighed.

"I've heard a million of those," Victoria said. "It was part of the job description."

Chase proceeded, with caution, not really knowing why he was telling this relative newcomer about the dictator and his direct and indirect role in his demise.

"Ah, so the hero complex is what we are dealing with," Victoria said after the story had been told and Chase had turned to stone before her eyes.

"I wouldn't say there was anything heroic in what I did," Chase stated as he looked past Victoria and out the window.

"You saved millions of lives," Victoria said calmly and philosophically, "and yet people don't see the good that you've done. By risking yourself, your livelihood and your mental state, you effectively removed the evil from a country plagued by genocide. If you would have been caught you would have been punished to the full extent of the crime committed, but people live because of you. Again, you can't help but see the nobility in what the people that knew your secret did to protect you and effectively made you the hero for millions. House saved your life by manipulating the evidence, Forman took the fall for you and you made a conscious decision for the welfare of the greater good. And now, you are self destructing. You've gone from selfless to selfish."

"You make me sound great and then you break me down again," Chase stated.

"It's the job darling," Victoria smiled as she stood and poured herself another cup of coffee.

"In the situation, what would you have done?" Chase asked after a long silence.

"I would have killed the man, or I would have refused to treat him in the first place." Victoria stated, "And if I felt any remorse for my own behaviour I would have prayed for forgiveness, but I would not have been sorry for saving all those lives."

"Hmm," Chase sighed.

"You'd be surprised at how many times this very story, this act of instinct and preservation has actually happened," Victoria added as she sat down again, "and people around the world petition to have men and women such as yourself canonized for it. Those that were prosecuted for their actions, people worship them now."

"Well my wife at the time saw me as nothing more than a murderer," Chase stated.

"And you think that is what ended your marriage?" Victoria asked in shock, "the marriage would have failed had you not ended that mans life. She would have found something else that she didn't agree with, or you would have seen the rivalry you both had in the field."

"You believe that?" Chase asked in disbelief.

"My ex-husband filed for divorce when I was hired on with Vatican," Victoria stated, "He called me a murderer of the faith working from the inside. What he didn't tell me what that he had applied for the job himself, but I was far more qualified."

"Ouch."

"So, was Doctor Cameron always against the idea of ending the life of the dictator, or was she just angry that you were selfless enough to risk everything to do it?" Victoria asked.

Chase stopped and stared at her as the phone on the table pinged again.

"Are you going to answer that?" he asked deflecting.

"Nope," Victoria smiled and pushed the phone across the table for him to read the text.

_'Are you finished yet?'_


	8. Miracles

Chapter 8: Miracles. 

Chase and Cicciliano walked back into PPTH just as Taub and Forman were returning. It was sometime around noon, when they had decided that they had wasted enough of the day, and because House had finally called, twice, they decided it was time to go back to work.

"Find anything?" Victoria asked.

"Nothing," Taub sighed. "The woman's office is brand new and the opera house is too, and her apartment is immaculately clean, like she doesn't even live in it and no one else is sick in or around any of the places." he explained.

"So not environmental," Chase stated with a laugh, "no allergies, no fungus, no nothing. That's what we have to go on."

"Then what else could it be?" Forman asked as the four of them stopped in the lobby, "we'll have to bring something to the table."

"A tumor," Cicciliano stated, "Maybe we need to hand her over to Wilson and see if he can tell us if she's got a hitchhiker known as cancer."

"House won't go for that, we'll have to tell him its cancer so that he can hand it over to Wilson with his blessings," Forman sighed.

"It could be neurological," Chase suggested.

"It could be lupus for all we know," Taub sighed, "we just don't have a history, or any lab results to narrow down out search."

"It could be fatigue causing our symptoms." Cicciliano suggested, "What do we know about her life aside for the fact that it's been a whirlwind for so long, maybe her body is just shutting down."

"I've never heard of fatigue causing these kinds of symptoms. It would be a pretty sever case and she would have been dead way before she would have been able to walk out onto that stage last night. Something else is going on." Chase stated.

"Sarcoidosis," Taub suggested.

"We're grasping at straws," Forman stated shaking his head. "We need more information."

"You have a better idea?" Taub asked argumentatively.

"What if it is environmental, but it's something to do with the brand new building," Chase stated.

"Could be, lots of chemicals and synthetics go into building materials." Cicciliano stated.

"Well I guess we're going back then," Taub sighed.

"House will want us to work miracles, so we have to have something," Forman stated and moved to follow Taub.

"Good to see you four," Cuddy stated as she came out of her office, "your patient is awake. It's a miracle."

"Doubt it," Victoria whispered to Chase as she shot him a knowing glance. "We'll check the patient; you go back to the opera house." She added and waved Taub and Forman away.


	9. Bedside Manners

Chapter 9: Bedside Manners

House and Rachel stood outside of the ICU as they watched the nurses attending to the diva. She seemed in fairly good spirits considering the ordeal she'd been through, all of the tubes had been removed, her breathing and her heart rate were regular and she was alert, talking even.

"You gonna go in?" Rachel asked as she stood next to House.

"I don't usually," House answered.

"Do you know how creepy it is if you just stand here and stare at her?" Rachel asked.

"Do you think I'm creepy?" House asked.

"No, but I know you!" Rachel stated, "she doesn't." she added and marched toward the sliding glass door.

"Where are you going?" House asked as he hobbled to follow the little girl.

"Hello," Rachel stated as the Diva saw her enter the room.

"Hello," Rosalie whispered.

"Probably not good for you to be talking after what happened to you," Rachel stated as she stood beside the bed, "you almost died. There was a tube down your throat to keep you breathing and they had to shock your heart back into rhythm."

"Are you my doctor?" Rosalie asked amusement in her eyes.

"No, I'm five," Rachel stated, "He's your doctor." She added and pointed at House.

"Then, if you aren't my doctor, how do you know so much?" Rosalie asked.

"I'm smart," Rachel answered.

House smiled at her from the door.

"I was singing professionally at your age," Rosalie stated, "you could be a doctor if you really wanted to be."

"I'd be a pretty bad doctor without all the schooling," Rachel reasoned, "but I have plans for the future."

"But you have better bedside manners than many of the doctors I've met," Rosalie smiled.

"What does that mean?" Rachel asked as she turned to House.

"It means you're nice and you talk to the patients' way better then the doctors do. It means you're making her feel very comfortable talking to you about her problems. You're doing very well, Jelly Bean." House explained with great pride for the five year old.

"Doctors are mean to the people they are helping?" Rachel asked in confusion.

"No, not always, we try to help and be nice. Its just some times people lie, or they don't know what we are trying to tell them, or they get angry because of the things we are telling them," House explained, "and then sometimes, some of us can be mean because we think that the patients are working against us when they lie to us. That's why I avoid the patients," he added.

"Cause you're mean?"

"Sometimes yes, because people don't like my bluntness, and because my job is just to diagnose, not to treat." House explained.

"But you're a doctor; your job is ultimately to make the patient better, if you can." Rachel stated.

"True, but that's why I have a team. I diagnose and they treat." House stated.

"But you'll hang around and stare at people," Rosalie observed, "that's creepy you know." The young diva added.

"Told you!" Rachel stated.

"Noted," House laughed, "But in my defense, I was watching you for more symptoms, just like I was watching you last night when the first symptoms appeared."

"So you were there last night?" Rosalie asked.

"Yes, I enjoy a good opera just like the next fellow, but I enjoyed it more when there was a medical mystery to be had." House stated.

"Glad I could entertain you," Rosalie stated. "Do you know what's wrong with me?"

"Not yet, but we're working on it," Rachel stated.

"So who are you, really?" Rosalie asked a twinkle of something in her eyes.

"I'm Doctor Gregory House, and this is Rachel Cuddy." House explained.

"The Dean's daughter?" Rosalie asked.

"Yes," House answered.

"Oh, ok, I understand now," Rosalie smiled, "Well good luck with the diagnosis," she added and closed her eyes.

"Are you feeling alright?" House asked.

"Yes," Rosalie answered, "this is actually the first break I've had in years and there are two other doctors staring, dumbstruck, behind you. So I am assuming, they are part of your team and you'll be leaving to deal with them. So I will rest, and you can continue your search for answers."

"Ok," Rachel smiled and turned to leave, "bye." She added and waved.

"Good-bye," Rosalie whispered and listened to the door swish shut behind them.


	10. No Rest for the Weary

**A/N: I'm going to try not to neglect this story anymore. I'd like to have it finished by early in the New Year, if I can figure out what is really wrong with Rosalie… hmmm. I'd made a terrible doctor!**

**As always I own nothing, and because Cuddy is out of the show, I've stopped watching so this is completely AU now.**

Chapter 10: No Rest for the Weary

Cuddy and Wilson stared dumbstruck as Rachel and House finished their bedside visit and walked out of the Patient Room.

"What just happened?" Cuddy asked as Rachel bounced along happily.

"I have good bed side manners!" Rachel stated proudly.

"You took her to see a patient?" Cuddy whispered angrily in House's direction.

"No, she took me. She just walked in there and I couldn't catch her!" House stated and motioned to his leg. "You know me well enough to know that I hate patient visits, so when I was just standing here staring at her, Rachel told me I was being a creeper, whatever that means, and that I should go in and talk to the girl. I still didn't want to but in that moment Rachel just walked on in like she ran the place."

"I do run this place!" Rachel stated and pointed to the Doctor Cuddy label on her little lab coat.

"She didn't do anything bad, she just told the patient what happened and that we don't yet know what is wrong with her, and we found out that the woman is exhausted. She also seemed very comfortable talking to Rachel, which I found very fascinating." House explained.

"She hasn't rested in a year!" Rachel stated passionately. "That doesn't seem right. Could that cause some of her symptoms?" she asked contemplatively.

"Maybe," House smiled proudly, "nice catch Jelly Bean."

"And why isn't she scared? Did she seem scared to you?" Rachel asked, "I'd be scared if something was wrong and I'd been in the hospital over night and my doctors still couldn't tell me what was going on."

"Hmm…why isn't she more agitated?" House wondered out loud.

"She's tired!" Wilson said, "She's been through quite an ordeal. Give her time to rest and let things sink in."

"If we give her too much time she might be dead," Rachel stated bluntly.

"Yeah Wilson! We have lives to save here!" House piped in.

"And yet, when we told her we still have no clue what was making her sick she closed her eyes and said she's just rest while we worked. Was that because there was a child in her room and she didn't want to upset me, or is she really not worried about her well being? Is she an idiot Greg?" Rachel asked.

"She might be," House smiled, "or it may be a symptom."

"Being not afraid can be a symptom?" Rachel asked mulling over the idea with great contemplation.

"Explain that Wilson!" House smiled proudly.

"You sound like Greg," Wilson stated as he knelt down and looked into the five year olds eyes.

"Thank you, I try really hard!" Rachel responded proudly.

"So you've still got nothing, no ideas?" Cuddy asked as she contemplated her Daughter's observations and took pride in the good job her daughter was doing.

"Not nothing, momma, puzzle pieces and questions. We'll put this together, we're good at that!" Rachel smiled.

"I'm calling complacence a symptom." House stated. "I want a CT of Rosalie's brain; this could be neurological after all."

"Get your team to do it!" Cuddy sighed, "Wilson is too busy with his department, Rachel is too little and you wouldn't do your own CT even if you really wanted to!"

"I wish I could CT her brain for you Greg!" Rachel sighed sadly.

"Don't be sad Jelly Bean, we'll get Chase and Mussolini to do the CT and we'll watch!" House smiled trying to easy his favorite team member's sadness. Rachel was definitely part of the team now that she has brought forth symptom for the case. "Or we could get ice cream!"

"I like ice cream!" Rachel smiled, "but we are working. Is that not bad ethics?"

"Those are the perks of being the boss babe!" House laughed.

"We're awesome at this job!" Rachel smiled as she took a hold of House's free hand and walked with him to the cafeteria.

"Ice Cream it is!" House smiled.


	11. Pay Attention

**A/N: I'm so bored with the current season of House that I'm just doing my own thing now. It makes it hard to even get into my own writing when I just don't care anymore. Oh well, I'm not a quitter and so I will finish this story to the best of my ability.**

**Enjoy.**

**As always, I own nothing.**

Chapter 11: Pay Attention

"I can't believe House will go this far to humor a child!" Victoria sighed as she sat next to Chase, their patient well on her way to a successful scan with nothing conclusive showing up, as the machine scanned her brain frame by frame.

"What if Rachel is right?" Chase asked. "We've seen stranger symptoms and then a child will have shown up four highly trained professionals! We'll never hear the end of it. House will have a field day."

"And yet we aren't seeing anything," Victoria stated. "Is this punishment for our tardiness?" she asked and leaned back and swiveled in her chair. "We should have just stayed at my place today."

"Probably," Chase answered.

"Alright, but House should have separated us because this just gives us further opportunity to continue our previous conversation. What is he playing at?"

"He might think that we'll sleep together and then there will be more entertaining drama when the relationship falls apart." Chase sighed.

"You think he's looking for a repeat performance? That doesn't seem like his style."

"Maybe he thinks its mine. House is fascinated by anything that is routinely screwed up, including a person's routine." Chase tried to explain.

"You use the same routine all the time?" Victoria asked somewhat intrigued.

"Clearly you find it fascinating too!"

"No, I'm fascinated by the idea that you think House thinks we could make it far enough to make your crumbled relationship with another doctor become a 'routine', not so much fascinated by the play boy routine of another girl every other night, and I doubt that is what House finds fascinating as its his own, or rather, was his own routine up until he and Cuddy hooked up." Victoria explained.

"I'm done with dating doctors," Chase stated, "too much competitiveness. Really what I want I can get on the every other night basis and I don't have to deal with the nagging or the relationship slips and stumbles."

"So a different girl every other night, coupled with alcohol and your need to indulge in carnal lust is better than possibly finding someone that will not have a competitive nature and who could actually make you happy because, pardon me for assuming, but I don't think you are happy at all with what you are doing. You are going to go through life in a destructive manner and then what will you have to show for it?" She asked, "You'll leave behind a legacy of being a gigolo and a better, more brilliant, Doctor's sidekick!"

"Everybody dies, so why shouldn't I live a little first?" Chase asked. "And you're a lackey too!"

"Oh honey, you are so screwed up. That is not living, its simply pacifying one of your many needs, and not really pacifying because it's meaningless. If anything its just killing you a little faster then you would have done naturally. And it's not dealing with your other human needs, which is causing your jaded outlook on life."

"So you're here to be my shrink now, or are you here to save a woman's life?" Chase snapped. "Did House put you up to this? Is he watching right now?"

"I'm not shrinking anything, if I'm doing anything at all its boosting your need for self indulgence because you believe that you don't care what other people think so you're going to go off and do whatever you want, but I'm willing to wager that you sit around drowning in your own self loathing on your off days until you just can't take it anymore and you either try to contact your ex just to have some contact with your past and who you once were, or you self medicate with alcohol and run off to find your next conquest. But, you won't feel any better after it and you know that!" Victoria said as she watched Chase very carefully and his eyes never left the computer screen. "She played with you didn't she, your ex I mean."

"Why do you care?"

"Because it's fascinating," Victoria admitted. "My guess is that sex was the building block of your relationship, the foundation if you will, and it should have never become a relationship if it was simply built on sex. That would explain why sex, for you, is nothing more than a ritual to kill the urges and you are jaded toward women in general."

"You're right." Chase sighed.

"About the sex or the jadedness?"

"Both."

"Fascinating!" Victoria smiled and swiveled back toward her screen.

"Not really, it's kinda messed up," Chase sighed.

"Do you even know how to have a meaningful relationship?"

"Probably not," He admitted. "My childhood was shit, I was non-committal while studying to be a priest and I was wild in medical school because I was away and on my own for the first time in my life without someone breathing down my neck. My marriage failed, I probably failed because it should have never happened in the first place and now I am back to destructive, dangerous behaviors because everything is so unbelievably tangled in my head."

"You see it then?"

"Of course I do," Chase stated and turned away from the computer screen for the first time, "do you think that ill of me to believe me completely heartless and devoid of human emotions?"

"If House can be a kind and gentle father figure to Rachel, you can have a meaningful relationship if someone is willing to take the time to teach you how it ought to be." Victoria smiled, "I know you're not heartless, but I can guarantee I would not be sleeping with you until I knew you could be committal and that you were clean, which I have a hard time believing at this point!"

"My tests have all been negative," Chase smirked.

"I'd like to see that!" Victoria smiled. "Alright back to work!" she stated as she turned back to her computer and jumped.

"What is that?"

"How did we miss that?" she asked and pointed at the screen and a location that looked like swelling in the patient's brain.


	12. For Love or Money

**A/N: Happy New Year! Welcome to my first update of 2012. **

**Enjoy**

**As always, I own nothing!**

Chapter 12: For Love or Money

Chase, Forman, Taub and Cicciliano sat around the meeting table while Rachel and House paced the floor, with Rachel mimicking most of House's movements precisely.

"Toxoplasmosis," Chase stated as he stared down at the file before him.

"Her white cell count is fine," Forman sighed.

"Meningitis?" Victoria asked.

"Would have seen there symptoms, and she'd be getting worse not better." Taub answered.

"Brain trauma, maybe it was caused when she hit the deck." Chase theorized. "She did completely go into arrest the night of the opera. Maybe she hit her head on the stage when she fell."

"So it's not a symptom of her original illness?" House asked sarcastically. "You're a moron!"

"It could be a tumor," Forman sighed, "have Wilson take a look to rule it out."

"No," House stated, "You are all morons. Rachel what do you think?" he asked.

"Encephalitis," Rachel stated, "that would explain the fatigue, the passing out and the possibly even the change in her behaviour." She explained proudly.

House smiled, "Forman and Taub start her on broad spectrum antibiotics while Chase and Mussolini find us an infection to blame it on."

"What if you're wrong," Taub asked, "and she goes into arrest again?"

"If I'm wrong let's hope Chase and Cicciliano find something in the blood work, otherwise Wilson can take over." House stated and took Rachel Cuddy's hand, "Once you two have administered the antibiotics, get a detailed account of where our diva has traveled in the last six to twelve months. Let's see where she picked up this pesky infection."

"You seem sure of yourself," Victoria stated as she stood from the table.

"We are!" Rachel snapped. "Now find that infection and don't waste any more of our time."

"Doesn't she sound like a little tiny Lisa?" House asked with a smile.

Chase and Cicciliano simply marched out of the office.

"If anything transpires between those two I want to know!" House stated as he turned on Forman and Taub.

"What could possibly be happening?" Taub asked exhausted and unmoved by the idea.

"Victoria made a living disproving miracles," House stated, "she's either going to try and prove Chase has lost all sense of a moral code or she's going to try and sleep with him in an act of retaliation. Chase just might… who am I kidding… Chase wants into those pants and he'll do almost anything to get there. Victoria is the new Cameron, wait until everything starts to crumble!" House explained with enthusiasm. "It's going to be epic!"

"Totally epic!" Rachel stated.

"Or maybe they are working colleagues and Victoria is a woman of faith who thinks she can change Chase and bring him back to the moral code he's lost," Forman added.

"Not likely," Rachel spat.

"My theory would be far more fun and messier, but I suppose yours could be right too." House said contemplatively. "I'll start the betting at a hundred dollars on messy sexy times." He smirked.

"One fifty and the awkwardness to follow leads to more work for Forman and myself when Cicciliano goes back to Rome," Taub said in his usual monotone.

"You are terrible," Forman sighed, "but two hundred dollars says faith prevails."

"You have yourself a wager sir," House smiled.

"Alright, I'm in," Taub added.

"Good, now get to work!" Rachel ordered.

"She really is a tiny Lisa Cuddy." Forman sighed.

"That was cross bread with Gregory House," Taub whispered as he left the office, "In a lab, it can't be natural."

"What should we do now Jelly Bean?" House asked as he smiled down at the little girl.

"Wanna watch cartoons?" She asked.

"Of course I do!" House smiled and walked his little charge off to the doctor's lounge and the big screen TV.


	13. Mad Momma Cuddy

**A/N: Well, it's been announced, this is the last season of House. I'm sad but I'd be lying if I said I didn't see it coming. Oh we'll I'm still ignoring season seven and writing what I want to write. Hope you are enjoying my little world. Thanks for reading.**

Chapter 13: Mad Momma Cuddy

House was woken up from his nap, on the doctors lounge couch, by one very angry looking Lisa Cuddy and one terrified little Rachel.

"What happened?" House asked after he yawned and stretched, and then panic hit his heart to see the tears in Rachel's eyes. "What's going on?" He asked more seriously this time.

"Your current patient went into V-fib." Cuddy stated her hands on her hips. "You were lucky that Chase and Cicciliano just happened to be passing by and were able to shock her back into rhythm."

"So she's ok?" House asked calmly.

"No, she's not ok!" Cuddy stated, "And you still don't know why she keeps loosing consciousness!"

"We were wrong," Rachel stated through her tears as she hiccupped and sniffled, struggling to gain her composure.

"It's ok Jelly Bean, it just means we have to look harder; that's all." he explained in his best paternal tone.

"But we almost killed her," Rachel sobbed.

"It's not your fault baby," Lisa stated as she sat down next to House and took the sobbing child into her arms. "You're not a doctor, you wouldn't know what to do and Greg is the best doctor we have. He always gets it right eventually."

"But I was the one that found Encephalitis in the big book of diagnoses!" Rachel sobbed.

Cuddy shot House a look of absolute anger and then turned all of her attention back to Rachel, "Sweetie, it's not your fault." She cooed. "You sit here while I talk to Greg and when he goes off to check on his patient, I'll take you home okay?"

"Does this mean I'm off the case?" Rachel asked with a sniffle.

"I think it would be best if you stepped away, you are too emotionally involved." Lisa explained.

"That sounds rational enough," Rachel sighed.

"I'm glad you see it that way," Cuddy smiled, shot another disappointed look at House and found another cartoon for Rachel to watch while Doctor Cuddy, pushed Momma Cuddy out of the way to lay into one Doctor Gregory House.

"What were you thinking letting a six year old diagnose a patient?" Cuddy scolded once she and House were in the hallway.

"She's a prodigy and her diagnosis was the best of the bunch." House said rationally.

"It may have been the best diagnosis but she's just a child. She doesn't have the mental capacity to deal with issues when situations like this arise."

"She'll be ok," House stated.

"You'll be the one getting up with her when the nightmares about killing patients start!" Cuddy yelled as she poked House in the chest to emphasize her point. "We just stopped having nightmare about the bombing, and now this? And no more sitting in on the diagnostic team, I forbid it. You can let her go through the books, teach her as much as you want but she's not a doctor and therefore she will not make contributions to your cases!"

"But what if she's right?" House protested.

"In thirty years time when she's really a doctor, I'll hire her for your team. Until then I'd like my child to have a normal childhood without worrying about making bad decisions and killing patients."

"She didn't kill the patient!" House stated.

"Not this time and not ever because she's not part of your team," Cuddy stated as she stormed past House back into the doctor's lounge and came back out with Rachel, "she goodbye to Greg it's time to go. You'll see him later." Cuddy added as she let Rachel give House a hug and kiss good bye and then removed the six year old from the hallowed halls of PPTH.

House sighed to himself, checked his watch and walked back into the doctor's lounge to watch his soaps.


	14. Team Wilson

**A/N: Well my break proved to be interesting for this story. I managed to write the whole thing out to the end. It has changed since when I first started writing it but I'm happy with where it is going now. Hope you enjoy it.**

Chapter 14: Team Wilson

House stayed in the doctor's lounge until his soaps were over and the infomercials took over day time television. He moved back to his office, found it empty and assumed that his doctors were off doing whatever they could for the patient, or because he had disappeared they had also disappeared. House paced for a moment in the office decided he was bored and to trick Wilson into a conversation he grabbed the case file and walked down the hall to the enemy camp, also known as the Team Wilson janitor's closet converted into a meeting room.

"It's got to be cancer," House stated as he threw open the door, interrupting Wilson in his lecture, and throwing the file onto the middle of the table between Doctor Robinson and Doctor Bennett.

"Your team hasn't isolated the tumor?" Doctor Bennett asked in disbelief.

"They aren't looking for cancer, they aren't oncologists. That's your job." House retorted childishly.

"My team is busy with their cases House. What do you really want?" Wilson asked.

"To chill with my peeps." House answered. "Aside for the fact that this office is way too small; you've got a nice set up…cozy."

"Since when are we your 'peeps'?" Doctor Robinson asked.

"Well you're not, I don't particularly like you but Wilson is my number one, BFF. He's my bestie. We're tight." House mocked and raised his hand to high five Wilson but Wilson ignored him.

"Cuddy took your little play thing away didn't she?" Bennett asked.

"Or she's withholding sex," House was sarcastic in his retort.

"Where is Rachel you had her with you this morning." Wilson asked noticing the absence of the child.

"Cuddy took her home after her diagnosis was wrong and my patient nearly died," House sighed.

"You let a child diagnose a patient?" Robinson asked in shock.

"Stop being so melodramatic, I agreed with her and so the diagnosis went to trial." House stated and rolled his eyes, "man, why are women so touchy on the subject?"

"Because Rachel is a child!" Wilson and Robinson stated at the same time.

"Ok, I get it, it wasn't my best idea," House sighed in defeat. "My new idea is cancer. Now get to work proving me right!"

Silence fell as the three other doctors stared at House.

"Ok, perhaps you'd like something a little more fun than cancer. I'm running an office pool based on some really juicy gossip. Two hundred is the buy in." House stated dramatically.

Wilson sighed and ran his hands through his hair, "Chase and Cicciliano are not sleeping together!" he stated in frustration.

"Taub believes Mussolini is trying to 'change' Chase and Forman is of the mind set that Chase just might let her." House stated playfully.

"What if Cicciliano is the one wanting and initiating the sex?" Bennett asked.

"That would be very 'Cameron' of her," House said thoughtfully. "Chase would like that a lot. Would you like to lock that in as your bet? Buy in is two hundred dollars."

"My money is on they catch onto you and do something to try and teach you a lesson." Wilson stated and slammed two hundred dollars down on the table.

"You are not allowed to tell them!" House stated.

"Aren't those always the 'House' rules?" Wilson asked with exasperation, "Now would you please leave so that we can get back to work?"

"Why would I want to do that? This is way more fun then what I was last doing," House smirked.

"My money is on sex on Cicciliano's side." Bennett stated and handed House the money.

"Any other buy ins?" House asked and looked directly at Robinson

"I can't believe you please!" Robinson stated angrily. "These are people's lives you are playing with. Who made it your business to meddle?"

"I'll give you two hundred dollars to just keep you mouth shut and pretend to be oblivious." House said and waved the money in front of Doctor Robinson's face.

"Forget it." she hissed.

"Then the two hundred dollars will go to the man who can keep Team Wilson's PMS under control." House stated, made eye contact with Wilson and Bennett and then stood. "FYI Robinson, or rather your new name shall be Bitchy McBitcherson, stop taking the bitchy pills every morning. This is exactly why I don't like you." He added and headed for the door. "You know where to find me when you find the cancer in my patient." House said over his shoulder just before he shut the door behind him.


	15. The Estrogen Encounter

Chapter 15: The Estrogen Encounter

Victoria sighed from her place across the lab bench from Chase.

"Nothing," She sighed again and began to prepare to run another test.

"I've got nothing as well." Chase said and moved to start another test too.

"Saved by the bell," Victoria smiled as her pager went off.

"Is it House?" Chase asked and checked his pager just in case.

"Nope, it's Cuddy." Cicciliano answered, peeled off her latex gloves and moved toward the door.

"You're in trouble now; it's all that time you play hooky." Chase teased and went back to his tests.

Cicciliano walked into Cuddy's office to find Doctor Robinson sitting before Cuddy's desk.

"What's going on," Doctor Cicciliano asked.

"I just needed a break from all the testosterone." Doctor Robinson sighed.

"I second that," Cuddy grumbled.

"And let me guess, House is the primary infectious disease." Victoria laughed.

"You're not going to be happy with him either." Cuddy stated and motioned to the second seat before her desk.

"What's going on?" Victoria asked as she watched the smugness on Cuddy and Robinson's faces.

"Were you aware of the current office pool in your department?" Cuddy asked.

"When is there not an office pool?" Victoria asked. "It's nothing new for House to be gambling within the group, or just with Wilson. It was never and issue before and I was under the impression that we were in the business of turning a blind eye to it."

"We usually do, as long as House is productive," Cuddy sighed, "but as he's pissed us off today we thought it might be best to let you know what the subject of the office pool is."

"I don't want to know," Victoria stated throwing up her hands, "I'm not into gambling and from what I've witnessed so far it's been very childish bets." She added with a wave of her hand as Wilson walked in.

"Have you told her yet?" Wilson asked.

"You aren't betting this time around?" Victoria asked.

"Oh I am so I can't tell you," Wilson smirked, "but my wager relies on you knowing and pranking House right back." He smiled and handed her a file, "Also, tell House that it's not cancer!"

"He thinks its cancer?" Victoria asked taking the file back from Wilson, "why didn't he tell us?"

"Because he needed a reason to get Wilson and his team on board and observing you," Cuddy stated.

"Because Cuddy took Rachel home and House was bored." Robinson added.

"And he wants me observed why?" Victoria asked suspiciously.

"Because you, or more specifically your sexual endeavors with Doctor Chase, are the subject of the current office pool," Robinson explained with a straight face.

"What?" Victoria gasped.

"Is there anything going on between you and Robert Chase?" Cuddy asked with a stern look.

"No!"

"Well House thinks there is. House is betting that Chase talked you into wild and crazy sexy times. Taub thinks you are trying to 'change' Chase's behavior with counseling and by withholding sex. Doctor Bennett believes you are the instigator of the sexy times and Forman is all for the professional relationship and nothing more." Robinson explained.

"And what about you?" Victoria asked turning on Wilson now.

"I am prepared to pay you to get House with a very random and completely outrages prank." Wilson smiled.

"I'm listening, what do you have in mind?" Victoria asked with a smirk.


	16. Weaving The Lie

Chapter 16: Weaving the Lie

As the noon hour drew to a close House found a perch, high above the clinic lobby, and watched as doctors and patients moved about. It was proving to be a busy afternoon. This was his favorite location. If he wanted information he could usually get it. if he wanted to annoy people, he had a high vantage point over them and lots of little places to sneak into before anyone could get up to his level, and if he saw Cuddy coming he could disappear. Usually, it was the most entertaining place in the whole hospital because as long as you weren't directly interacting with sick people, they were usually very entertaining. House prided himself in being able to diagnose an issue the moment a person walked in the door, just by looking at them. What people didn't know was that he usually perused files later in the day, out of boredom, to see how many he got right. Colds were easy, the STI, now those were harder, but there were still tell tale signs.

Cuddy spent more of her time in her office as many doctors and business people found their way in to see her but for the most part Cuddy stayed locked away. So there wouldn't be any entertainment found on that front. Contrary to popular belief, Cuddy was a busy woman and though there were a lot of people that she could have gone off to see them in their own departments, she was angry with House and knowing his habits as well as she did, she knew he'd manage to find her and pick at the wounds that were still festering after what had happened that morning.

Wilson hadn't found anything with regards to House's patient and now Wilson was in surgery. So again, no fun from Wilson, or team Wilson for that matter because they were a pair of goody two shoes and wouldn't follow House even if a life depended on it, which they had caught onto early on and House always lied about problems with them, so there really weren't any lives at stake when House cried wolf.

"No fun at all," House sighed and tossed a skittle at a passing orderly and bounced it off his bald head.

House waved pleasantly as the orderly turned and gave House the finger. He popped another candy into his mouth and continued to watch the entrance. He smirked to himself as Cicciliano and Chase returned from lunch together and to his surprise Chase kissed her cheek and disappeared into the clinic to put in his hours. Cicciliano continued on her way to the elevator.

The more House watched them, the more he was convinced that something was up, but the guessing game was the best part. Turning from the railing and leaning heavily on his cane, just as Cuddy came out of her office and scanned the lobby up and down, House made his way back to his office to contemplate the relationship status of two of his doctors, and he might even work on his own case for a little while. Truth be told he did have a sick patient still, the dean of medicine and the dean of the university breathing down his neck, and not in a good way, and still no real conclusions as to what was wrong with the diva or why she was having so many issues.


	17. Another Day Wasted

Chapter 17: Another Day Wasted

Victoria Cicciliano walked into the conference room with a stack of House's files and took up her usual place at the table. Shortly after her Taub arrived and took up his usual place before standing and starting to pace again. Not long after this Forman and  
Chase entered after their clinic duty was over and they too took up their usual places at the table.

House had been discreetly watching and listening as each of his doctors went about their usual business and banter. The day was coming to an end and with no real change in the status of the patient; House was prepared to finally send his entire team home for the evening, but first he was interested in making one final observation of Chase and Cicciliano.

"Someone better be able to tell me something." House's voice boomed as he walked into the room that was directly joined to his office.

The other doctors were aware of his lurking, it was what he usually did, if anything House was predictable in that he lurked and he stewed over the issues he believed were important. He was like the phantom of PPTH, always around causing trouble, stalking the diva's (Cuddy) and blaring music at the most inopportune times from the stereo in his office.

"MTV is broadcasting a live Stones concert tonight at 8pm," Chase stated in response to House.

"I'll be watching that, good job Chase, gold star!" House stated sarcastically.

"The patient is stable, her tests have all be clear, Wilson has ruled out cancer and the nurses are monitoring her. Aside for that we've got about a million symptoms but no answers." Taub sighed as he paced.

"Also, I've finished working on your files. They need signatures and then you're done." Cicciliano smiled and placed the files before him.

"And we covered all of your clinic hours, so you're free for the evening," Chase added.

"Do you have a contribution Forman?" House asked.

"I did a whole lot of nothing all day," Forman answered sarcastically.

"Well, if that is the case you all may as well leave." House stated and returned to his office with the stack of files.

"Run before he changes his mind." Chase said as he reached out, grabbed Victoria by the hand and bolted, making sure House saw the gesture.

"There is definitely something going on there." Taub whispered as soon as the youngsters were out of ear shot.

"I think it's all an act. I think they're onto House." Forman confided as he too stood and headed for the door. "As long as House doesn't win the bet, I'll be happy."

"House will catch on if it is an act." Taub sighed. "And then he'll change all the rules and he'll still win."

"Very true, but it may keep him on his game. When he's bored he makes shit up, if we can keep him occupied he'll have an epiphany and he'll save the patient's life." Forman said as he and Taub got into the elevator together.

"So I've got tickets to the university basketball game for tonight, you in?" Taub asked.

"Sure, I'll buy the pizza before the game." Forman agreed and they left the building before House could change his mind.

"So much for keeping House busy," Taub laughed.

"That's only my job when I'm on the clock, he just told us to leave, and therefore we're off the clock." Forman reasoned.

"I'm not arguing," Taub smiled as the elevator stopped and they headed for the locker room and then left the hospital all together.


	18. Morning Madness

Chapter 18: Morning Madness

Well rested and without incidence over the course of the evening, the team reassembled in the conference room, minus House, to review their case and develop a plan of action for the day. The conference phone rang, it was House and he was put onto speaker as the rest of the team settled around the table to brainstorm.

"Alright how are we going to try and kill our patient today?" House asked cheerfully.

"Rosalie had a very good night. She slept, she is alert now and she has been responding to broad spectrum antibiotics, why can't we just give her a little time after all the trauma and give the poor woman a break," Forman asked.

"You have something better to do?" House asked skeptically.

"Yeah, I'm running your team while you aren't here," Forman retorted.

"Do you have another case that is more pressing than the jewel of the university, the pride of the music program? You know, the show can't go on if the prima donna keeps passing out." House argued.

"Graeck-Imerslund Disease would explain all of the symptoms; the vitamin B12 deficiency, the balance and walking problems and even the fatigue that you were so sure was a symptom." Cicciliano stated as she flipped through a file, passed it across the table to Chase, he sighed something within it and then passed it back. Victoria moved that file to another pile and continued, "it would also explain why she was asymptomatic for so long and now has so many different and seemingly unrelated symptoms."

"It would also explain the neurological connection," Forman added.

"Its something, its weird and unpopular, I like it!" House stated, "Chase and Mussolini go and test the patient for Graeck-Imerslund!" House stated as if he were a super hero.

Victoria smiled at Robert, picked up her files and they left the room together.

"What is going on with those two?" House asked when he heard the door open and close.

"She just had him sign something and then she took it with them," Taub answered.

"No on else needed to sign it?" House asked intrigued by the mystery.

"It didn't look like one of our cases," Forman added.

"Well what did it look like?" House asked.

"It was just a file."

"Are they working on other cases behind my back?"

"The file folder didn't have the PPTH logo on it. It's not from this hospital if it is a case." Forman stated.

"Alright, I'm coming in. I need you to find out what was in that file before I get there. It could change the entire outcome of our wager!" House stated and hung up.

"How are we going to do that?" Taub asked.

"We could just ask them to check it out." Forman stated as he stood, "or we could go to Cuddy with our suspicions and tattle tail.

"I don't mind tattling." Taub smirked.

"I know you don't" Forman laughed.

"What are our suspicions anyway?"

"That Chase and Cicciliano are working on cases and other work not pertaining to their tenure here at PPTH."

"Could the case be Vatican related?" Taub asked, "Maybe Cicciliano is investigating something from her previous job."

"I guess that could be the most logical explanation, in which case Cuddy should know all about it." Forman stated and headed for the elevator.

"So we're going to visit Cuddy?" Taub asked.

"Yup."


	19. Cuddy's Confusion

Chapter 19: Cuddy's Confusion

Forman and Taub stood in front of Cuddy's desk as she stared on in confusion.

"I'm not sure what you are asking me," Cuddy sighed, "and frankly I don't have the time to care," She added and turned back to her computer.

"We just want to know what is up with the blue, non-PPTH, file that Chase and Cicciliano are working on behind House's back." Taub tried to clarify.

"I don't know anything about a _blue_ file," Cuddy said and shrugged.

"Does Cicciliano still have affiliations with her previous employer?" Forman asked.

"I suppose she could but I think I would know if Vatican was investigating miracles in my hospital." Cuddy stated.

"Yeah I guess you would," Taub sighed.

"Is that all?" Cuddy asked impatiently.

"Do you know of anything ongoing between Chase and Cicciliano?" Taub asked.

"No, I do not, and I suggest you tell House that. He needs to stop bombarding me with questions about it. That is all I heard last night and then choruses of House and Rachel singing '_Robert and Victoria sitting in a tree…_' all through breakfast. I have more important things to deal with than this childishness, and so do you, so either you get back to work on your case or get into the clinic because we've gotten smashed today." Cuddy ordered in high annoyance and turned her attention back to her work.

Taub and Forman left the office like puppies with their tails between their legs.

As soon as Cuddy was certain that they were well away from her office she paged Chase and Cicciliano and within moments the two doctors were standing before her.

"What is in the blue file?" Cuddy asked suspiciously eyeing the file among the cases in Cicciliano's arms.

"Operation House arrest," Victoria smirked.

"Because he's going to go into cardiac arrest when he find out what we're doing!" Chase laughed.

"Serves him right," Cuddy stated as she perused the files that had been handed to her.

"Taub and Forman think its Vatican related don't they?" Chase asked with a smirk.

"It seems like the most logical explanation, but I may have squashed that notion. They were just here asking questions," Cuddy confessed.

"Its alright we plan to implement phase two today after lunch." Victoria smiled.

"So I take it one or both of you are taking the rest of the day off." Cuddy smiled.

"We've treated the patient as per House's instructions and she's responding to the treatment. As long as everything stays on this train, Graeck-Imerslund Disease is the diagnosis we are sticking with. So the afternoon should be just enough time to pull off our plan," Cicciliano explained, "Although it would probably be better if I am the only one that stays away a little longer."

"I can see why he would call you Mussolini," Cuddy laughed and shook her head.

"No one is winning this office pool," Chase smirked.

"Well except for us, and possibly Wilson," Victoria winked, retrieved her file as Cuddy handed it back to her and headed for the door.

"Have a great afternoon with your bundle of joy and I want to hear all about the reaction!" Cuddy stated playfully.

"Oh we will," Chase smiled.

"You two make up one truly evil genius," Cuddy laughed and turned back to her work.


	20. WTF

Chapter 20: WTF

"Mussolini was right!" House stated as he sat down at the conference table with the other men of his team, "where the hell is she?" he asked when he realized that the dose of estrogen wasn't present.

"Cuddy gave her the rest of the day off," Chase stated, folded his hands behind his head and learned back in his chair seemingly very proud of himself. "You could do the same with us now that our case is closed."

"Why would Cuddy do that?" House asked ignoring Chase's second comment.

Chase smirked.

"What is going on with the two of you? Please tell us, this is not another Cameron fiasco is it?" Forman asked.

"Cameron wasn't a fiasco, she was a stepping stone and, secondly Vicki is nothing like Cameron…at all." Chase stated defensively.

"Oh if anything she's more exotic like you," Taub mocked.

"Vicki, you call her Vicki? Yuck..." House practically gagged. "She's stolen your manliness, not that you had a lot of that, you pretty little thing you, but still…EW!"

"Whatever, say what you want, I know I can't stop you." Chase said with a shrug. "Can we get back to the case, or lack there of, and ultimately sending me home as well?" he asked.

"The case is over, true, did anyone catch it when I said Mussolini was right? How did she know that? Did she come up with that theory all by herself or did you help her?" House asked mockingly as he spun on Chase again, "also you can't go home. The mocking is about to begin." House added and cleared his throat, "And this is because you call her Vicki. So where does she keep your balls in her hand bag?" he asked.

"What I can't call her by her first name?" Chase asked skeptically, "what kind of a relationship do you have when you call your girlfriend by her surname and not her given name? Besides, Victoria prefers Vicki anyway."

"Ew!" House stated again.

"So it has progressed to Boyfriends slash Girlfriend status with the two of you?" Taub asked.

"It's complicated," Chase confessed as there was a commotion in the hallway.

"What the hell?" House asked as he turned to see a pack of female nurses as well as doctors crowding around Cicciliano and a baby carrier, "well that was quick, how did you skip the mandatory nine months?" he asked as Cicciliano came into the office beaming with pride and waving away the well wishers.

"It's called adoption," Victoria stated, placing the carrier on the floor and freeing the infant from the buckles and straps.

"Gimme, gimme," Chase stated excitedly and was handed the little bundle.

Victoria smiled proudly, tears in her eyes as she wrapped her arms around the seated Chase's shoulders and kissed his cheek.

"So this is where _we_ start." He beamed up at her.

"What?" Gasped the crowed.

"We've decided, because we work together and know each other pretty well…" Chase started.

"And we know what works and doesn't work in relationships for ourselves that we'd do things a little differently." Cicciliano smiled.

"You were too impatient and couldn't wait and just make the babies yourselves?" House asked as he looked over into the infants face and saw that the baby was definitely not from New Jersey.

"No, the plan was to skip the whole messy relationship period, set some ground rules and dive in head first." Victoria explained.

"We do well with order and are ready for anything as Doctors, so we decided to see if we could make the family unit work first and let everything else fall into place." Chase smiled as he cradled the baby in his arms.

"Her name is Mia, and she's from Haiti," Victoria added as Forman looked over Chase's shoulder.

"How very multicultural of you but you know, once you have kids, the sex is the first thing to go." House stated.

"Sex is so trivial," Both Chase and Cicciliano stated at the same time. "Co-existence is the key."

"So who wins the bet?" Forman asked as Chase and Cicciliano looked around in mock confusion.

House through long and hard for a moment, "I guess Wilson, no one bet on them going insane and deciding on nesting rather than fucking…who told you we were betting on this…" House asked accusingly.

"Cuddy," Chase stated.

"But this isn't a prank," Victoria smiled, "We really did adopt a baby."

"So then Wilson didn't win!" House stated and redistributed the money to the people in the room.

"That was the blue file?" Taub asked.

"Yes," Victoria answered.

"Let's go show Wilson," Chase stated excitedly as he stood.

"What about the case?" Victoria asked

"Our patient is fine, tests confirmed Graeck-Imerslund," Chase stated proudly.

"Man, we're really having a good day!" Victoria giggled, grabbed the carrier and followed Chase out of the office.

"It's all a ruse!" House stated and rushed after them.

"The baby looked real to me!" Taub said and pocketed his two hundred dollars, "What should we do now?"

"Sneak out and buy a baby gift?" Forman asked in the form of an answer.

"I'm in." Taub stated and away they fled as well.


	21. You, Me And A Baby Makes Three

Chapter 21: You, Me and a Baby Makes Three

After stopping in to see Team Wilson and with everyone overly excited for Chase and Cicciliano, House had to admit all around defeat and sulked off to his office. The team had solved the case, Cuddy was still mad at him and Rachel was home with a babysitter because of a few bad decisions, and to top it all off he neither lost nor won his office pool because of the absolute absurdity of his doctors, "just take a deep breath and move on!" he sighed to himself as he hit the power button on his stereo and let the classical opera fill the space.

Down in the lobby Cicciliano continued to show off her new baby while Cuddy cooed and swayed with the baby in her arms.

"I can't believe it worked," Chase laughed as he held onto the baby carrier and Doctor Robinson got her turn to cuddle baby Mia.

"It's been in the works for months," Victoria laughed, "it just all came to fruition now, at just the right time and House is none the wiser." She added with a smile, "My estrogen accomplices, however, were in the know since the very beginning because I knew Cuddy had gone through it and I needed someone to talk to about adoption."

"It just worked out perfectly that this should happen now," Cuddy laughed. "I'll be bringing baby gifts around your place later. I'm surprise House hasn't suspected anything; I've had these gifts for months! You had better take Chase and this little one and carry on the charade a little longer," She added as she motioned to House who had appeared staring down on everyone from the balcony.

Doctor Robinson put the baby back in the carrier and Chase and Cicciliano walked out of PPTH hand in hand.

On their way to Victoria's car, Chase stopped her, "does it really have to be a charade? I mean is it really that crazy of an idea?" he asked as she placed the carrier back into the seat stand and made sure that the baby was secured. "You know the whole Planned Parenthood and codependence thing sounds rather nice." He said.

"I agree. I mean if you know what doesn't work for you, know what you want and can get there, why not do it?" She smiled, "But you have to be completely sure you want this kind of commitment."

"Would you be interested in turning our prank into a possible trial period? I'm ready for a commitment, I have a steady job and help to support the baby and you can be my counselor, or sex kitten, or whatever it is House believes is totally going on here." Chase said half seriously half mockingly.

"It would mean you would have to settle down and accept the responsibilities of parenthood, no more new girls every other night, or drunken debaucheries leading to Facebook scandals!" Victoria stated.

"I can commit, I don't want any of that anymore. It's gotten old and you were right, it's probably very self-destructive." Chase smiled.

"Alright then bring some stuff by my place and we can start our trial tonight. Be ready for early mornings and diaper duty." She smiled pecked him on the cheek and fell into the car.


	22. The Jokes On You

**A/N: Alright, this is it, I'm done. Thanks for reading. I'm moving onto another fandom now. Thanks for the time we've spend together but House, I'm just not that into you anymore! **

**Enjoy!**

Chapter 22: The Jokes on You

House stood in the elevator pouting, his arms full of baby things as Cuddy stood beside him holding Rachel's hand. "This wasn't really my idea of date night," he whispered but not loud enough that Rachel would hear him over the crinkling of cellophane and the ping of the elevator.

"Greg, you have to accept responsibilities like this if you want to be a part of this family unit. This is the kind of thing we should be doing with Rachel and not dragging her around the hospital." Cuddy explained.

House sighed as the elevator doors opened and Lisa and Rachel led the way toward the appropriate apartment.

"Hello Chase!" Rachel smiled and jumped into his arms as he opened the door to Victoria's apartment and the sound of light chatter.

"Glad you could make it Monkey!" Chase laughed and let them into the apartment and the gathering of both Team Wilson and Team House, and the newest member of the family, Mia.

"So this is where you live, interesting," House stated and placed the gifts down with the others he saw piling up.

"I suppose I will not find peace now that you know where we live." Victoria smiled as Chase took the baby from her arms and found a place on the sofa next to Wilson.

"It's unlikely that you will find any peace with an infant in the house, but I will make you miserable as well," House answered as he looked around.

"You have a piano?" Rachel asked excitedly as she spotted the big black beast in the corner, "may I play it?" she asked politely.

"Absolutely," Victoria smiled, "you may want to take House with you, he's looking a little bored," she whispered playfully to the child.

Rachel grabbed House's hand and steered him toward the piano where they both sat down and began playing.

"Would you just breathe please and let the whole idea sink in?" Lisa whispered to House as he tried to adjust to the oddity of the situation.

"The idea is absurd." He stated.

"But it's their life." Cuddy smiled as she watched Chase, Forman and Taub pose for a picture with the baby.

"I give it six months, wanna put money on it?" he asked.

"No!" Cuddy stated and moved into the group of Doctors to put the hospital and all its Drama behind her.

**The End!**


End file.
